Last Modified: Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 3:52 p.m.

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Now, novices can shoot just as well as experienced marksmen — or even trained snipers — at distances out to 1,200 yards, after only a few minutes of instruction.

The “Precision Guided Firearm,” which was developed by TrackingPoint, a Texas-based applied technology firm, has created a loud buzz among Southwest Florida's law enforcement community.

SWAT team leaders, police snipers and firearms instructors have been flocking to local rifle ranges this week to test fire the weapon.

They are not alone.

A team from TrackingPoint is also demonstrating their $27,500 weapon system to local gun dealers at a range near Myakka City today. Like police, the dealers are anxious to shoot the “smart rifle” and possibly add it to their shelves.

Computerized rifle

The weapon system has been described as a “game changer.”

There is nothing else like it.

The Precision Guided Firearm package includes a custom Surgeon rifle and precision ammunition made by Barnes Bullets.

But the heart of the weapon system is its “network tracking scope,” which is actually a high-speed computer and a heads-up display that calculates 20 ballistic variables 54 times per second.

The Linux-driven computer calculates the range to the target, barometric pressure, the curvature of the earth, the spin-drift of the bullet, the number of rounds that have been fired through the barrel and more, automatically. The only data the shooter needs to input is wind speed.

As a result, the rifle will not let the shooter take a bad shot.

The firm's flagship rifle, the XS1 chambered in the powerful . 338 Lapua Magnum, fires a 300 grain Sierra Match King bullet at 2,720 feet-per-second with such accuracy that long-distance shots become almost boring.

Shooting the rifle is simple — a process not unlike a video game. TrackingPoint makes a practice app for iPhones.

Once the shooter aligns the scope onto a target, he or she presses a small “tag” button near the trigger that marks the target with a laser.

The tag appears as a dot in the scope, which instantly computes the proper firing solution to the target.

Then, the user needs only to pull and hold the trigger and align the scope onto the tag. Once aligned, the rifle discharges.

“It won't let you take a bad shot,” said Tim Davis, TrackingPoint's law enforcement and defense development director.

The scope is also a WiFi hotspot, and transmits what the shooter sees to an iPad or smartphone in near real time.

This data is saved and can be downloaded — a feature that has created much interest among police.

Unique benefits

During a hostage stand-off, Davis said the incident commander could have real-time access to exactly what his snipers are seeing.

“It's like a dash-cam for a rifle,” Davis said, pointing out the benefits that such footage could provide a police department after an officer-involved shooting.

Military and federal agencies are also interested.

Davis said the Department of Defense bought some of the units, but said he could not elaborate.

For sportsmen the rifle ensures “humane culling” of game animals at distances many hunters would avoid, said TrackingPoint's Scott Calvin, an accomplished hunter.

His firm realizes the system comes with a hefty price tag, and treats its customers accordingly, Calvin said.

“Once someone purchases one of our rifles, they're assigned a concierge,” he said.

<p><em>HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY</em> - The world's first “smart rifle” has leveled the playing field for long-distance shooters. </p><p>Now, novices can shoot just as well as experienced marksmen — or even trained snipers — at distances out to 1,200 yards, after only a few minutes of instruction. </p><p>The “Precision Guided Firearm,” which was developed by TrackingPoint, a Texas-based applied technology firm, has created a loud buzz among Southwest Florida's law enforcement community.</p><p>SWAT team leaders, police snipers and firearms instructors have been flocking to local rifle ranges this week to test fire the weapon.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>A team from TrackingPoint is also demonstrating their $27,500 weapon system to local gun dealers at a range near Myakka City today. Like police, the dealers are anxious to shoot the “smart rifle” and possibly add it to their shelves.</p><p><b>Computerized rifle</b> </p><p>The weapon system has been described as a “game changer.”</p><p>There is nothing else like it.</p><p>The Precision Guided Firearm package includes a custom Surgeon rifle and precision ammunition made by Barnes Bullets.</p><p>But the heart of the weapon system is its “network tracking scope,” which is actually a high-speed computer and a heads-up display that calculates 20 ballistic variables 54 times per second.</p><p>The Linux-driven computer calculates the range to the target, barometric pressure, the curvature of the earth, the spin-drift of the bullet, the number of rounds that have been fired through the barrel and more, automatically. The only data the shooter needs to input is wind speed.</p><p>As a result, the rifle will not let the shooter take a bad shot.</p><p>The firm's flagship rifle, the XS1 chambered in the powerful . 338 Lapua Magnum, fires a 300 grain Sierra Match King bullet at 2,720 feet-per-second with such accuracy that long-distance shots become almost boring.</p><p>Shooting the rifle is simple — a process not unlike a video game. TrackingPoint makes a practice app for iPhones.</p><p>Once the shooter aligns the scope onto a target, he or she presses a small “tag” button near the trigger that marks the target with a laser.</p><p>The tag appears as a dot in the scope, which instantly computes the proper firing solution to the target.</p><p>Then, the user needs only to pull and hold the trigger and align the scope onto the tag. Once aligned, the rifle discharges. </p><p>“It won't let you take a bad shot,” said Tim Davis, TrackingPoint's law enforcement and defense development director.</p><p>The scope is also a WiFi hotspot, and transmits what the shooter sees to an iPad or smartphone in near real time. </p><p>This data is saved and can be downloaded — a feature that has created much interest among police. </p><p><b>Unique benefits</b> </p><p>During a hostage stand-off, Davis said the incident commander could have real-time access to exactly what his snipers are seeing. </p><p>“It's like a dash-cam for a rifle,” Davis said, pointing out the benefits that such footage could provide a police department after an officer-involved shooting.</p><p>Military and federal agencies are also interested.</p><p>Davis said the Department of Defense bought some of the units, but said he could not elaborate.</p><p>For sportsmen the rifle ensures “humane culling” of game animals at distances many hunters would avoid, said TrackingPoint's Scott Calvin, an accomplished hunter.</p><p>His firm realizes the system comes with a hefty price tag, and treats its customers accordingly, Calvin said.</p><p>“Once someone purchases one of our rifles, they're assigned a concierge,” he said.</p>